Doorstop, Perth

Penny Wong, Foreign Minister: It's wonderful to be here in WA and wonderful to be here at this very famous cricket ground, the WACA, and to hang out with some of the young students who are engaged in the Pathways program and are learning to play cricket, so, in such a fantastic way. And also to meet a couple of the Australian players. Of course, tomorrow we have the next one-day international between Australia and India. We're hoping for a clean sweep and looking forward to a great game.

Look, cricket is such a fantastic way for people to connect. It's also such a fantastic way for us to engage with other countries and it's a great way for women and girls to participate more in sport. So, I'm very pleased to be here with Tim Thomas from the Centre for Australia India Relations, which is engaged in the summer of cricket and making sure that we use one of the things that brings us close together with our friends in India and that is the love of this wonderful game.

What I would say is this, we have a relationship with India which in great part is predicated upon the Indian diaspora in Australia. It's our second-largest diaspora, the fastest growing, a very important part of our democracy. India is a very important country to Australia. We want to engage very closely across all domains, including sport. And I also want to say this, particularly as someone who watched a lot of cricket when I was younger, it's so fantastic to see young girls and young women playing this sport. It's wonderful to see the engagement. We know how good team sport particularly is for empowerment, for team building. And it's really wonderful to see the way in which over the years we've seen more women in cricket and more young women in cricket. I'm looking forward to maybe one or two of those students out there one day captaining Australia. So, very happy to be here and happy to take questions.

Journalist: I want to ask a non-cricket related one –

Foreign Minister: That's all right. I figured that. You’re welcome. 

Journalist: You mentioned Russia and China in the same breath as Israel last night. Does that risk further inflaming the tension between Australia and Israel?

Foreign Minister: This is the section of the speech that talks about international law? The point I was making in this speech is that international law applies to all of us. It applies to Australia, it applies to all nations. And it's very important for Australia to continue to advocate for the rules and norms that we are part of. Now we're not a superpower, we're a middle power and we have influence in the world, but we do have a great interest in making sure international law continues to be observed.

Journalist: Equating Israel to Russia and China, is that a fair comparison?

Foreign Minister: I don't agree, that was-- I think you should read the speech. I hope you read the speech, Jessica.

Journalist: I have read the speech. 

Foreign Minister: Oh, please – what did you think?

Journalist: It's not for me to judge.

Foreign Minister: Okay, look, I think I was pretty clear that I was talking about the principle of international law. 

Journalist: A Jewish human rights organisation has warned against non-essential travel to Australia, arguing authorities failed to take necessary measures to protect Jewish communities. What's your response?

Foreign Minister: The first thing I'd say is we have seen a rise in antisemitism. We have seen attacks, and the most recent horrific attack on a synagogue in Melbourne. And as I said last night, that's not just an attack on that shul. It's an attack which is designed to seek to bring fear to Jewish Australians. So, it's very important that we all stand firm and clear against antisemitism. It's very important that we say very clearly this is unacceptable. 

No one in this country should be frightened of who they are. No one in this country should be frightened of practicing their faith. People are entitled to both be and feel safe in this country. And that is what my message is. Now, you've seen the work that the Prime Minister has announced. You've seen the announcements of additional security funding for Jewish places of worship and Jewish schools. And also the announcement of the taskforce involving the Australian Federal Police and intelligence agencies. This was a crime that needs to be investigated. It is being investigated as a terrorist incident. What I would say to the Australian Jewish community is this, you are a valued part of our community, you are entitled to be and feel safe.

Journalist: What did you make of the reaction - what do you make of the reaction to the Prime Minister playing tennis in Cottesloe and being related to him not sooner visiting the Melbourne synagogue?

Foreign Minister: Well, look, the Prime Minister had a number of official engagements that day. He also went, as I understand it, to a synagogue here in Perth at invitation. He spoke to the community. He represented the community where the synagogue suffered the arson attack. He saw that we were worked on announcing more funding for Jewish facilities, for Jewish schools, for safety. And of course, the announcement yesterday in relation to the taskforce. I know the Prime Minister was briefed very early by the Australian Federal Police. So, I think it's really clear that the Prime Minister has been very engaged on this issue and has made his views about the unacceptable nature of this attack very clear. 

Journalist: But knowing that there was some tensions and there was commentary and opposition criticism of the response to the Melbourne attack. Playing tennis at Cottesloe. Was it a political misjudgement?

Foreign Minister: I think there are more important things that we are focused on than whether or not the Prime Minister played some tennis.

Journalist: But isn't that the point? People think he should have been focused on Melbourne.

Foreign Minister: He was. 

Journalist: Should the Prime Minister have visited sooner?

Foreign Minister: Well, I understand he's visiting today. And as I said to you, the Prime Minister had events here in Perth. He made sure he engaged with the community. He was briefed by the federal police. And you've seen announcements that have been made which reflect the work the government has done in response to this attack. And they are very important steps.

Journalist: Was it appropriate that Netanyahu directly linked the attack on the Synagogue to Labor policy, and is that the behaviour of a friend of Australia?

Foreign Minister: I'm not going to get into a sort of personality discussion. I'll talk about principles. And first, this is a government that stands against antisemitism. This is a government that stands for the principle that we are a pluralist democracy, where we might disagree, but we do so respectfully, and that there is no place for violence and intimidation. In terms of the government's position on the conflict in Gaza, as I said last night, we have a very clear view about the importance of international law. We have a very clear view about advocating for the protection of civilians, including children. And we think that is the right thing to do.

Journalist: Peter Dutton says the Prime Minister shouldn't always stand in front of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags. What did you make of that?

Foreign Minister: Well, what I'd say is, you know, we knew Peter Dutton was arrogant, but he's already working out how to stage Prime Ministerial press conferences so that probably says something about him. I'm much more focused, as is the Prime Minister, on issues that matter to Australians like cost of living.

Journalist: Do you see any similarities between Israel's actions in Gaza and Russia's invasion of Ukraine?

Foreign Minister: Look, I think you're referring back to that section of the speech, and I made it clear in that, that we have a principle that we are – we, all nations have to comply with international law. That's the principle I've been articulating for over a year. Thank you very much.